Nutrition Tips

18 of the Best Foods to Eat to Lose Weight

If you’re on a health kick, knowing the best foods to eat to lose weight can be a gamechanger

Not only can the right foods provide you with the essential nutrients you need to drop unwanted fat, they can even help to reduce hunger between meals, regulate energy intake and lower your likelihood of snacking.

Sounds dreamy right?

Pull out your fork and let’s get stuck into some tasty foods to eat to lose weight.

The best foods to eat to lose weight

Oats

oats best foods to eat for weight loss

This complex carb is a must for any kind of weight loss plan. It’s packed full of nutrients that provide a huge number of benefits to your overall health.

In terms of weight loss, oats are rich in fiber. These fibers can improve your digestive system and make you feel fuller for longer, so you’re less likely to snack between meals

A delicious bowl of oatmeal is the perfect way to get the day off to a healthy start.

Chicken

As a lean meat, chicken is high-protein and low fat, making it a wonderful addition to any dieting effort.

The small fat content means it’s low in calories compared to red meats like beef.

What’s more it’s protein dense, meaning you get all the benefits of weight loss and satiety that come with it.

Chicken is also one of the most versatile foods to cook with. So, whatever your palate, you’ll be able to find a chicken dish that suits.

Eggs

eggs best foods to eat for weight loss

Eggs are another all-powerful superfood on our list of foods to eat to lose weight.

The yolk is brimming with essential fats and nutrients that help to nourish your body and keep you healthy in the long run.

One fat-burning benefit of eggs is that the whites are rich in protein. This is important as opting for a high-protein diet is one of the best ways to help your body promote muscle and reduce fat.

On top of that, protein increases satiety or that feeling of fullness you get when you eat. This handy amino acid makes you feel fuller for longer.

Leafy greens

Everyone knows that leafy greens are good for our health and body. But they can also support weight loss efforts too.

These are very low-calorie foods you can eat in high volumes. By eating a lot of these you can fill yourself up, without significantly increasing your calorie intake.

This approach has been shown to help dieters to consume fewer calories overall, which is essential to weight loss [1].

Turkey

turkey for weight loss

Turkey is one of the leanest meats available. It offers a very high protein content with almost no fat at all.

With so little fat in turkey, it is also very low calories compared to other meats available. Often, it’s also cheaper than chicken making it a more diet- and budget-friendly choice.

Quark

Although officially a cheese, this tastes like the thickest, creamiest yogurt you’ve ever had. That’s why it made our list of foods to eat to lose weight.

Nowadays you can find this in every good food store – and we highly recommend you go looking for it.

Quark provides a very large helping of protein, helping you to hit your required amino acid count and keep you full long after you’ve finished eating.

[Related Article: Beginners Gym Workouts to Lose Weight ]

Salmon

foods to eat for weight loss

This delicious fish is not only versatile in terms of flavor, it also offers a huge number of highly beneficial nutrients.

Salmon in particular is high in healthy fats and omega-3, which has been linked to reducing obesity and improving a huge number of diseases [2].

Peanut butter

Nut butters are packed full of protein and healthy fats, both of which can help you stay fuller for longer.

This feeling of fullness has been linked to reduced food intake throughout the day and therefore, improved overall weight loss [3].

Cruciferous vegetables

best foods to eat for weight loss kale

These types of veggies tend to be very high in fiber and therefore very filling, whilst also being low in calories.

Cruciferous vegetables like kale, broccoli, cauliflower and brussel sprouts are also generally high in protein, which is essential to any weight loss diet.

The fiber and protein combined makes them one of the best plant-based foods for keeping you full and less likely to snack throughout the day.

On top of all that, these vegetables are packed full of essential nutrients that help you to maintain a healthy body.

Cayenne pepper

A little spice could be very beneficial to a diet.

Chili peppers like cayenne pepper contain bioactive alkaloids called capsaicins. These have been shown to hold thermogenic properties, which can help to boost your metabolism slightly, which may help with the weight loss process [4].

It has also been linked to reduced appetite, which may help to reduce over energy intake [5].

[Related Article: Cayenne Pepper Explained – What is it and How Does it Work?]

Beans

beans

Beans and legumes are usually high in fiber and protein, which we know can lead to greater satiety and can support your dieting efforts.

Specifically, try to include lentils, black beans, kidney beans and red beans.

Cottage cheese

This dairy product is particularly high in protein.

The particular process used to create cottage cheese allows it to maintain higher levels of whey, which allows for a richer protein content.

What’s more, it offers a very low calorie and carbohydrate content, making it an excellent addition to a weight loss diet.

Avocado

best foods to eat for weight loss

The avocado is quite unlike any other fruit you may be familiar with.

It’s very rich in healthy fats, that can help you stay full and deliver some essential nutrients- including fiber. It has been proven to enhance satiety [6].

You may think that, due to the high fat content, it is energy dense. However due to the high levels of water and fiber in avocadoes, it doesn’t have as many calories in it as you’d expect.

[Related Article: How to Meal Prep for Weight Loss]

Whole grains

Although some types of cereals may not be the best choice for weight loss, opting for a whole grain option can really help to support your efforts.

Oats, quinoa and brown rice in particular are high in fiber and contain a good amount of protein, which makes them a winner for satiety.

While they do contain a fair amount of carbohydrates, they are complex, providing a slower release of energy. If you’re on a low-carb diet this might not be for you, but if you are eating carbs check this out.

Chia seeds

chia seeds for weight loss

These little seeds are the definition of small but mighty.

While they are quite high in carbohydrates (43g per 100g of chia seeds), it also provides a massive 39g of fiber.

As we know fiber is essential both to a healthy digestive system and to ensuring satiety. Such a high fiber content means that, when they come into contact with water, they swell within the stomach, increasing that sensation of fullness.

Chickpeas

These little foods are packed full of both fiber and protein, making them an excellent option for weight loss.

These will support your weight loss goals by increasing satiety and promoting a high-protein diet.

Tuna

This is one of the leaner fish you can enjoy as part of a weight loss effort.

Tuna is very low in fat and therefore offers very few calories.

What’s more, it offers plenty of protein which complements your diet and improves satiety too.

Potatoes

potatoes for weight loss

You might be surprised to see this on our list of foods to eat to lose weight.

Despite the fact many seem to be forgoing potatoes, under the belief they’re unhealthy, they can actually contribute to a healthy weight-loss diet.

On an index of foods that offer the highest levels of satiety, white potatoes came out on top [7]. This means they could be essential in reducing snacking and overall energy intake.

What’s more, they offer a huge range of nutrients that can help to keep your body in great shape.

[Related Article: Best Fat Burners for Women]

The final taste

These foods should help to support your weight loss efforts and keep you in shape.

They’ll do these by providing essential nutrients your body needs to drop the pounds, while also giving you greater control over the amount of food you eat.

Tuck into any of these and enjoy the support they can offer you and your weight loss progress.

 

References

  1. Ello-Martin, Julia A et al. “Dietary energy density in the treatment of obesity: a year-long trial comparing 2 weight-loss diets.” The American journal of clinical nutrition vol. 85,6 (2007): 1465-77. doi:10.1093/ajcn/85.6.1465
  2. Wall R, e. (2010). Fatty acids from fish: the anti-inflammatory potential of long-chain omega-3 fatty acids. – PubMed – NCBI. [online]
  3. Richard D. Mattes, Penny M. Kris-Etherton, Gary D. Foster, Impact of Peanuts and Tree Nuts on Body Weight and Healthy Weight Loss in Adults, The Journal of Nutrition, Volume 138, Issue 9, September 2008, Pages 1741S–1745S
  4. Lejeune MP, e. (2003). Effect of capsaicin on substrate oxidation and weight maintenance after modest body-weight loss in human subjects. – PubMed – NCBI. [online]
  5. McCarty MF, DiNicolantonio JJ, O’Keefe JH. Capsaicin may have important potential for promoting vascular and metabolic health. Open Heart. 2015;2(1):e000262. Published 2015 Jun 17
  6. Wien, M., Haddad, E., Oda, K. and Sabaté, J. (2013). A randomized 3×3 crossover study to evaluate the effect of Hass avocado intake on post-ingestive satiety, glucose and insulin levels, and subsequent energy intake in overweight adults. Nutrition Journal, 12(1).
  7. Holt SH, e. (1995). A satiety index of common foods. – PubMed – NCBI. [online]

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